Hundreds of people, many of them union members, turned out at the State House on Thursday to oppose a bill that would save the state and municipalities a significant amount of money by cutting retiree health benefits for public employees.

Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed the bill as a way to address the approximately $46 billion unfunded liability for retiree health benefits faced by state and municipal governments. Modifications to retiree health care coverage are essential to keep the system sustainable for future state and municipal career employees and to maintain core government services for future generations, said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor.

However, public employees say the government is breaking a promise that was made when they were hired. Gail Gunn works in information services for UMass Amherst. She is 51 years old, blind and has worked for the state for 16 years. She planned to retire in five or six years, but will reconsider if the bill is passed, since the change would increase her monthly health insurance payments by $500 a month. Im not going to stand up and say its not fair. As a blind person, Im used to life not being fair, Gunn said. Its just wrong. I expect more from government.

House Bill 59 is being considered by the Joint Committee on Public Service, which held Thursdays public hearing.

When will these people learn, supporting Democrats is like making a deal with the devil. Once they have you, where are you going to turn? And since you depend on them like children, they can treat you the way they want.

Massachusetts government paycheck recipients (sorry,I refuse to call them “workers”) are the laziest,surliest,crookedest bunch of hacks one would find anywhere in the country.One example...Billy Bulger,brother of serial killer “Whitey” Bulger and former President of the State Senate,gets close to $250K (tax free) a year in pension benefits...along with a free health plan that would make the Saudi king jealous.Bulger,it must be noted,was ordered to testify a few years ago before a US House (or Senate,can't recall which) regarding his brother's whereabouts.He took the 5th something like 20 times.

10
posted on 10/31/2013 2:12:32 PM PDT
by Gay State Conservative
(Osama Obama Care: A Religion That Will Have You On Your Knees!)

Deval baby, if you can get the job as Hillarys VP, Im betting she will cut Massachusetts in on the upcoming federal bailouts for NY, Cali, and Illinois.

I live in Maryland and I am stunned how financially good the state is. For such a liberal sess pool they sure are economically sound. We like North Dakota have an issue with trying to hire people. Never thought that a liberal state and conservative state could be in such good shape. The only thing that Maryland has WAY higher then North Dakota is that Maryland has the best schools in the country for the kids. Colleges aren’t bad either.

18
posted on 10/31/2013 2:49:10 PM PDT
by napscoordinator
( Santorum-Bachmann 2016 for the future of the country!)

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